


((the fuck is a title lmao))

by super_rainbow2021



Series: OC Stories [3]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M, Follows the Manga, Like, characters x oc, claire's a badass, demons and magical beings obvi, have you not read the manga, lots of people die in the manga, lynn's a badass, one of the only straight fics ive written lmao, people die in the manga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-12-30 08:44:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12104994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/super_rainbow2021/pseuds/super_rainbow2021
Summary: black butler fanfic with my own characters, lynn who was ciel's fiance before lizzy and claire who was sebastian's fiance. i don't wanna spoil all of my plot but like its just the manga with like 2 ocs and i didn't wanna post this on quotev bc idk people get weird over the stupidest shit lmao.





	1. One

All was quiet- in the activity of humans. The nature, however, was bustling with their daily morning routines. It was almost someone else’s time to awaken and commence their routine.

 

In a mist-covered forest, not far from London, there lies a manor. The distinguished noble family of Phantomhive’s morning…

 

…started off with early tea.

 

“Young master, it is time to wake up,” a man’s voice called. It was smooth and elegant, making one think twice before realizing the voice belonged to the head butler of the Phantomhive household. His name was Sebastian Michaelis, and he served his young master quite well. He was, after all, a very able butler.

 

“Today’s breakfast consists of poached salmon and a mint salad. I can also offer toast, scones, and champagne. Which would you prefer?”

 

“The scone…” another voice replied, one lace with sleep. This one belonged to the head of the manor, Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive, as his father’s title was given unto him as of a tragedy.

 

Earl Ciel sat up in his bed, his dark teal hair covering his right eye. His left one showed, bright and blue; it was so unlike his personality. He stretched a little and yawned before Sebastian handed him his morning tea. The boy held it and took a sniff, asking, “Is this tea Earl Gray?”

 

“Yes.”

 

A small smile tempted to break the surface, but Ciel drowned it with his tea. As he continued to sip, the butler started to get his master dressed for the day.

 

“What are today’s plans?”

 

Sebastian, in the process of buttoning his master’s shirt, replied, “After breakfast you will see the authority on Monarch Study, Professor Hugh.” The ribbon was now tied around the young Earl’s neck.

 

“And after lunch?”

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


**_BONG_ **

 

Everyone was outside. The three other servants, Bard, Finnian, and Mey-Rin, stood at the right side of Earl Phantomhive’s chair as the Earl’s other butler Tanaka stood at his left. Sebastian stood in front of the five along with another man. The man had long, silky black hair and traditional Chinese clothing. He frantically waved around his arms while shouting.

 

“Take this! Secret technique! Flower Bird Wind Moon All Kinds Of Flowers Profusion Fist!” He then ran towards the black-clad butler, who seemed to simply stand there, anticipating. Sebastian adjusted his glove, had a sharp look in his eye, and bypassed the incoming man, moving his arms so that the professor would end up flying behind the butler.

 

The Chinese-dressed man coughed and convulsed. Blood fell from his mouth. Turning slowly, looking at the butler with shock and surprise, Professor Hugh said, “Th-this is our school’s last hidden technique...! Super Tiger Dragon Gun Ten Thousand Blossom Shattering Fissure Fist… What in the world are you?!”

 

Sebastian straightened from his crouched position, turning his head slowly. At first, his long, black fringe shielded his face from the view of the professor. Sebastian’s aura shifted suddenly, and he was brushing the non-existent dust from his hands. “I’m the butler of the house of Phantomhive. What kind of butler would I be if I couldn’t use that technique?”

 

There it was- the almost arrogant air the butler more than sometimes gave off. The serious face he wore smoothed into a stunning smile. “And that’s how it is, young master. Because I won, please do today’s review and tomorrow’s pre-lesson.”

 

An irritated look crossed the Phantomhive’s face. The young master was most definitely not pleased with the idea of doing so much paperwork.

 

“That was amazing Sebastian!” the gardener, Finnian, exclaimed. “Today’s 50th win in a row!”

 

“You struck like water, Sebastian!” Mey-Rin, the housemaid, gushed.

 

The chef, Bard, also commented, “This house’s butler is certainly amazing.”

 

Ciel huffed in his chair. “A true master of the fist technique would accompany me to unknown reasons. Though, I thought I’d be able to see you on your knees today.” Sebastian simply gave him a smile, telling him it was too bad. “Hmph, you did well Sebastian.” Ciel handed his butler a cold drink. Sebastian thanked his master and drank it, then turned to the other servants.

 

“What are all of you doing here?” The servants looked nervous. “Have you finished weeding the courtyard?” he asked Finny. “How about the shirts in the laundry?” to Mey-Rin. “Are dinner preparations going as they should?” to Bard. “If you have time to loaf around, then please do your jobs!” The servants scattered.

 

Ciel sat amused. “Speaking of work, Sebastian,” the said butler turned to his Earl, “there was a call from him in Italy.”

 

“From Sir Clause?” Sebastian asked, helping Ciel out of his chair.

 

“We talked about this. Come,” Ciel took his walking stick from his butler and strode to the mansion.

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


“And so, Sir Clause is coming directly to England?” Sebastian summed up.

 

The young Earl nodded. “He got ahold of the usual goods and contacted us. It seems he had a considerable amount of trouble this time.” He shook the newspaper he was reading. “He should be here around six o’clock. We will carry out the negotiations at my house.” Ciel looked up at his butler. “Do you understand what this means, Sebastian?”

 

“I am fully informed. We will surely provide Sir Clause with the best hospitality. I will begin the preparations.” Ciel dismissed him. Though he was perfectly content in his lavish mansion with his servants, Ciel felt that something was missing. Besides his parents having died on his birthday, something else had happened before Ciel returned to his home with Sebastian. His aunt’s daughter, his cousin, had disappeared. Ciel had Sebastian search for her in the most unlikely places, just to make sure, but no trace of her could be found. Some nights, he sat awake for hours, wondering where she could be. It had been a few years, at this point, since they saw each other last. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a ring at the front door.

 

Sebastian had to stop preparing the mansion for the guest. 'Who could be visiting at this time of day?' he asked himself. Once the door was open, he started to greet the guest. His eyes were closed and his lips were curved. "Welcome to Manor Phantomhive, how might I hel-" He was cut off when a graceful hand groped his chin, pulling him up from his bow. Opening his eyes, he studied the lass in front of him. What a pleasant surprise it was to see this particular lass, as he had not spoken to her in such a long time.

 

"Claire," he nodded, his voice thick. As a demon, he did not feel too many emotions, but for this person he definitely did feel something. Claire Elza Mandrake, a fellow demon in an only slightly more powerful position than he. She was also his former fiance, before he was contracted to his master Ciel Phantomhive.

 

"Sebastian." Her voice was graced with an American colony accent, her bright, teal eyes were watery, and her long, auburn hair was loose. Her dress was torn in a few places and there was the tiniest of cuts on her forearm. Sebastian ushered her inside and closed the front door. He held her face for a moment before turning completely serious, asking Claire what had happened and what she was doing here, of all places. They conversed, and Sebastian sent Claire to a spare bedroom where she could clean up and don a new dress. The butler composed himself, and set off to check on his co-workers.

 

When he returned to the servants, he knew something was amiss. “What … is all this?” he asked, pointing to the dead tree, the broken china, and the charred meat.

 

The servants all started talking at once. "After I finished killing the weeds-" "-placed the guest's tea set-" "-and I thought I'd cook it…-" "The lid was open!" "On the pushcart!"

 

"I understand," Sebastian said calmly, successfully quieting them. "Even I have faults. I will finish setting up here." None of the servants believed Sebastian of all people had faults. Ignoring the mass of apologies, the butler looked at his watch. 'The garden that had the green extracted, the smashed-to-bits tea set, the main dish that turned to charcoal …' The guest would arrive at six o'clock, less than two hours away. Sebastian stood there, thinking, then saw Tanaka, the eldest butler who served Ciel's late father Vincent.

 

"You all should follow Tanaka's example and act a little more like adult-" Sebastian cut himself off, glancing again at Tanaka. 'That's it!'

 

"This is what we'll do …" he started to tell the servants of his plan.

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


An Italian car drove up to the Phantomhive manor. An older gentleman stepped out and held his hat in his hand. Ciel, who was reading a book on his front steps, looked up in greeting. The man chuckled a little.

 

"It's been a while since I came here! Buona sera, Ciel! How are you?" The gentleman scooped Ciel up into a sort of side hug, much like one would his own son.

 

"You came, Clause," Ciel stated plainly. They chatted, said both had not changed, and stepped into the manor. In the hall, the servants were lined up on either side of them, including Claire, who was curtseying across from Sebastian. Ciel gave a small eyebrow raise to his butler, but the man simply smirked and winked, causing the new maid to smirk as well. Ciel accepted this gesture and deduced that Sebastian knew this woman. He would not let Ciel be harmed in any way, this he was sure of.

 

"We have been awaiting you, Sir Clause," Sebastian and Claire said together, giving the guest an eerie notion. He smiled nervously and bowed his head to the butler.

 

"It appears there are more faces in the house, aren't there?" he asked, eyes glancing to the auburn-haired maid. He noticed she had on blue gloves, unlike the other maid.

 

Sebastian took note of the man's stare. "You'd want to relax in the courtyard and speak with my Lord, would you not? There are still preparations to be made." He took the two out into the courtyard for tea while Claire stayed with the other servants. She'd only arrived a little while ago, and though none would admit it, they were slightly suspicious of her.

 

"Where did you come from?" Bard asked boldly. Claire cut her turquoise eyes at him, and he twitched a little, unnerved. She smiled gently at him, throwing him off again.

 

"Sebastian found me. I am a maid who has lost her mistress. He will help me find her after today." She spoke no more, but allowed her face to seem solemn. Bard stared at her before nodding, accepting her story. He also took note of her accent, and almost felt soothed by the fact that another American would be staying with them.

 

"Finny, Mey-Rin, she's a part of our family now. We treat her as such," he said with no room for argue. Claire noted his way of talking. He must have been serving in the American military before Sebastian picked him up. Strange she had not seen him before, though, given she and her mistress had spent the last few years in the country. She sighed to herself. Not one week back in her home country, and Claire's mistress had been snatched up off the streets like a slave from a plantation!

 

The other three servants went to eavesdrop on the guest's and Master Ciel's conversation while Claire finished preparing the meal herself. Since she and Sebastian were both demons, and very close, she could send him telepathic waves of information; she sent him a wave of warmth, like an oven when finished baking a cake. He accepted it and sent a wave of thanks, coming to her to fetch it.

 

"Please pardon the interruption," Sebastian said as he walked back out into the Japanese garden, Claire pushing the cart of food. "The evening meal's preparations have been arranged, so please pardon the wait."

 

"Today's menu is the head family's chef, Bardroy's," Claire said. "Beef Donburi." Ciel and Sir Clause deadpanned for a moment until Claire brought them their food.

 

"Is this really what we are having?" Sir Clause mumbled to himself.

 

"Do you not know, Sir Clause?" Claire asked him eerily. He shivered a little. Sebastian took to dramatically explaining the reasoning of this dinner, causing Ciel to roll his eyes but Sir Clause to adore the staff. Claire heard the other three servants give him praise from the door to the manor. 

 

Sir Clause suddenly laughed. "This is the best, Ciel! What an able butler and maid you have!" He turned to the demons. "Japanese donburi is such a profound food. You are truly intellectual."

 

***=^.^=***

 

After Ciel and Sir Clause left dinner to converse in the study, Claire and Sebastian took to the study in Sebastian's own room, leaving the other servants with simple tasks they could not screw up. "You said you were in America up until last week?" he asked her as she sat across from him.

 

Claire crossed one leg over the other, running a hand through her knotted auburn hair while the other fondled the bow on her apron. "Yeah. When I saved my Mistress from the cult I decided to take her out of the country, for her safety. She's like a daughter to me, Sebastian." Her eyes softened, and even watered a little. Sebastian reached over and took her hand in his, trying to comfort her. As a demon, she could not have children of her own with another demon, and did not love any human enough to bear their child. Sebastian understood her pain, and sometimes wished dearly that he could have children with Claire.

 

Sebastian cleared his throat and retracted his hand, leafing through a book about known criminals in the London area. "What can you remember about the man that took her?"

 

Claire thought hard. "He was tall, tan, had blond, spiky hair, a scar on his face, multiple piercings, and had been smoking some type of cigar. Probably Italian, from his accent." She breathed out and looked at her former fiance with her blueish-teal eyes. He hummed in thought himself, and flipped through the book before handing it to her open to a page with a man who fit her description perfectly. Claire shivered unwillingly and cut her eyes at the picture. Sebastian nodded, proud that he had been right.

 

"I have more preparations to take care of. You can stay here and build a plan to retrieve her." He pat her hair gently, which made her blush slightly, and pulled his overcoat back on. Claire huffed as he left and crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks adorably. She sighed and stood up. Dammit, she was still in love with the bastard, wasn't she? She put her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one foot, looking at the man in the book. In the picture, he was smirking with a cigar in his mouth, one hand on his hip and the other up in the air as if to say, "What are you gonna do, catch me?" Claire eyes narrowed at the smug stance. She let her arms lower and looked around the room, deciding it was just a little stuffy, and moved to the adjacent room, laying in Sebastian's bed. She sighed and let her eyes flutter. She needed a nap.

  
  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


It was night. A young girl sat in the floor of an exquisite bedroom. She had dark auburn hair, curled in spirals and tied with an ocean-blue ribbon, light blue-lavender eyes, and the palest skin in her family. She was wearing a knee-length dark blue dress with an ocean-blue blouse underneath, white ankle socks on her feet folded underneath her. A voice called out from outside the room, warped but still distinguishable as motherly. The girl looked up and smiled. "Okay!" she said. She ran into her closet and closed the door, emerging a moment later wearing a long, light purple nightgown. She jumped into her bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders, snuggling deep into the warmth. She reached behind one of her pillows and pulled out a brown bunny plushy and clutched it tightly. Her breathing evened and soon she was lightly snoring.

 

Hours later, when the moon was high in the sky, a noise shook the manor. The girl did not stir. Heavy footsteps sounded throughout her home, but she did not wake until she heard the screams. Her mother, also young and pretty, died violently by the hands of the attacker. Her father, who had gotten into bed a mere hour before, let out his own blood curling screams at not only the sight of his wife and the gaping hole in his chest, but the safety of his daughter. The young girl sat up silently in her bed, heart racing and trying to steady her ragged breaths. The footsteps sounded again. He was coming for her. She was a nimble child, so she lightly ran and hid in her closet, which was large for someone of her stature, and hid behind the leftover boxes from her birthday presents. Her blue-lavender eyes were wide, and she held her bunny in her shaking arms. She heard her bedroom door open and her heart stopped for a moment before it sped back up. She could not breathe, for fear that the attacker would find her and kill her too. The heavy footsteps walked around her room, looking for her. They started to leave, and she let out a sigh of relief before realizing her mistake. The attacker threw her closet door open and she screamed. For the next few hours, she endured torture, rape, and slow killing.

 

She was only nine.

  
  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


Claire sat up quickly, clutching her rapidly beating heart. Her breathing was ragged, eyes were wide. It took her a moment to realize that she was not in that child's room, but Sebastian's, and she was safe. She let out a long sigh of relief, running a hand through her long hair. It's okay, she reminded herself, it was just a nightmare.

 

She stood from the bed and walked into the bathroom, taking the black comb into her supple fingers and running it through her hair. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were sunken in a little and still had a little wildness to them, but she was calm. She waved a hand over the mirror and her eyes looked normal again. She tilted her head and tried to smile. Suddenly, her reflection stood straight and wore a stern face.

 

"You're worrying too much about her!" it said, a stronger English accent than Claire herself. Claire sighed, and held a hand to her forehead and a fist to her hip.

 

"Can you really blame me?" she asked back. Surely, anyone else would have been shell-shocked if their reflection started moving and talking to them on their own, but Claire was not. In the realm she came from, her fellow demons held a strong connection with the thems from the mirror realm, and in return, the reflections gave sound advice from time to time. Claire's reflection, whom she lovingly nicknamed Elza, was strangely like a sister to her. "We weren't in the country for more than a week before some slimy bastard picks her up off the street while we were shopping."

 

"Still," she said, flipping her hair, "who exactly are you with right now? Sebastian, your ex fiance, and his master, who is notorious in England for being the Queen's Watchdog. You'll be able to find her with no problem."

 

Claire eyed Elza suspiciously. "Is that encouragement or prophecy?" Elza, like the other mirror-realm inhabitants, could see the future, which made their advice that much more valuable.

 

"Yes."

 

Claire laughed and pulled her hair back. Maybe Elza was right.

 

"Oh, and I can tell you had that dream again." Claire's smile dropped as she looked into her reflection again. "Why does it bother you so much, after all this time?"

 

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I was nine when I was raped, which is weird enough as it is, not to mention my gut was slashed open. I had to watch him pull my intestines out while my lungs filled with blood. I didn't die quickly." Claire had to take several breaths as not to lash out at the mirror. It would accomplish nothing except give her bloody knuckles. "Sorry," she said, not really meaning it.

 

"I didn't mean to say it." She definitely meant to say that, she was psychic. Claire shook her head, dismissing it. Maybe she had to get that off her chest before whatever she was going to do tonight. Speaking of which, that nap she had spanned at least a few hours, and night had fallen, the sky turning a majestic purple-blue.

 

Claire shrugged, then brushed her hair and straightened her gloves. She smoothed her dress and walked out of the bedroom, looking for Sebastian.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aha, lynnette makes her appearance

The next day, Sebastian promised Claire that he would go out and look for her mistress. Not that Claire couldn't do it herself, but Sebastian had many contacts in England, and she and Lynn hadn't been in the country long enough to get a grasp for the layout of the city. Her contract mark also wasn't responding to Lynn.

 

So, Ciel took both Sebastian and Claire out into the city with him. He had to pick up a new cane, and figured Claire should get some more clothes if she were to stay with him. She kept her hair up in a high ponytail so it wouldn't get in her way.

 

They entered the cane shop, Claire keeping an eye on the carriage. The shopkeeper grinned and said, "Welcome,  _ boy _ . On an errand for your  _ father _ ?" Claire knew the story of Ciel's parents from Sebastian, when they had stayed up all night talking. She raised a fine eyebrow and let the scene play out. Just as she had expected, Ciel's mood instantly changed.

 

Before Ciel could do or say anything to the shopkeep, Sebastian hed an arm out in front of him. "Excuse me," he said sweetly, "we came to get  _ my master's  _ cane." The balding man adjusted his spectacles to look at the paper Sebastian gave him.

 

"Ah, so  _ you're _ the owner of this cane. I had wondered who would order one so short, but who exactly do you expect to use this? Surely not the kid over there …"

 

Sebastian picked up the cane and held it straight out to inspect the balance of the wood. The end of the cane just so happened to be stuck right in the old man's face. He started sweating immediately, and he was so scared he might as well have soiled his pants. Claire let a smirk grow on her face. Ciel simply stared in amusement. "This is a very well built cane. It doesn't even bend." Sebastian was calm. He dropped a bag of gold on the counter. "This should cover it." He smiled sweetly to the shopkeep as Claire steered Ciel back out of the shop.

 

"It's all Finny's fault I had to go out and get another cane …" Ciel muttered. Claire chuckled.

 

"I'm sure Finny is very sorry about breaking your cane."

 

"Quite. My deepest apologies that it took you this long to grow that much," Sebastian quipped. Claire subtly smacked his arm, giving him an incredulous look. It seemed these two had a similar relationship as Lynn and herself.

 

As they were walking by, a young child squealed, "Look! Phantom's Peter Rabbit toy!" The child was in awe. Sebastian also told Claire about Phantom Toys. Apparently, Ciel had inherited the company from his father, and continued to make toys for children. Apparently it had only been around for three years but was already significantly popular.

 

"Now then, let's return to the mansion." Sebastian led Ciel into the carriage while Claire jumped up onto the driver's seat to wait for Sebastian. As they were nearing the mansion, Sebastian sensed something amiss. Amiss it was, the entire manor was covered in ribbons, bows, sparkles, and everything pink.

 

"Oh my goodness …" Claire trailed, her eyes wide as she unbuttoned her black coat and placed her large bag next to the rack.

 

"What in the world is this?! My mansion …" Ciel said, also in distress.

 

"SEBASTIANNNN!!!" voices yelled. Claire looked over and saw the other servants, all dressed up save for Mey-Rin. Claire could barely keep her giggles in, but then Finny and Bard frantically tried to quiet her down for some reason.

 

"What is with this appearance?!" Sebastian asked them.

 

"Go ask that crazy girl!" Bard said, pointed to a set of doors. Claire looked over and raised her eyebrows, still smiling. She, Sebastian, and Ciel all went over to see what was the matter. Inside, they could see Tanaka being dressed up so much more than Finny or Bard, with a blonde, curly wig and a frilly dress. Claire giggled again, snorting a little this time, when a young girl noticed them.

 

"Ah, Ciel! I've missed you so much!" The girl bounced over Tanaka to tackle Ciel in a bone-crushing hug. Claire took in the girl's curled blonde hair and overly frilled dress. This must have been Elizabeth, or Lizzy, Ciel's fiance. She had been engaged to Ciel instead of Lynn because of her disappearance. Currently, Ciel was struggling to breathe while the girl babbled nonsense.

 

"Ah, Miss Elizabeth," Sebastian cleared his throat. Lizzy turned to look at Sebastian and calmed down.

 

"Good day, Sebastian~" she said in a sing-song voice. "I have something for you too!" She pulled out a white and blue bonnet and placed it on Sebastian's head. Claire really could not keep herself from laughing this time, and held her stomach as she tried to regain her  _ own  _ breathing. That was when Lizzy noticed her. "Ooohhh! You're pretty! What's your name?"

 

"My name is- ahem, Claire. Nice to meet you Miss Lizzy," Claire tried to speak without laughing.

 

"Well, Claire, I think we should dress you up too!"

 

"Oh, do you now? Well then, we shouldn't waste any time!" Lizzy smiled and she took Claire with her, disappearing up the stairs with the few clothing bags. Ciel sighed in exasperation.

 

"What is she even doing here?" he asked himself. Sebastian, who was glaring at the snickering servants, turned back to Ciel.

 

"It seems that she missed you, young master."

 

"Obviously," he said, heavy with sarcasm.

 

Lizzy suddenly came back down, and shouted at Ciel, "We should have a dance party, a ball!"

 

"What?!" Ciel yelled, but she had already disappeared back upstairs. He could hear Claire laughing before that too disappeared, and then there was silence. Ciel sighed again. He didn't even know how to dance! He glanced up and Sebastian shot him a knowing smile, making Ciel look back down in embarrassment.

 

"Come along young master."

  
  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


"Do you know how to dance, Claire?" Lizzy asked the maid as they were rooting her room for a dress.

 

"Yes, I do. I was taught by my mother," she lied easily. When Lizzy wasn't looking, she transformed one of her uniforms into a gorgeous midnight blue gown. "Oh look, I forgot I had this." She turned around to show Lizzy, who immediately freaked out, fangirled, and maneuvered Claire into the dress. Lizzy then raved about how long Claire's hair was and decided to French braid it. She tried to do Claire's makeup, but Claire said she would be more comfortable without any. Lizzy smiled, proud of her work, and left to get ready herself.

 

Claire stared after her, a smile etched onto her face. Lizzy was very fun. Alone in her room, she gazed at herself in the mirror before her reflection moved again. "Wow, that little girl sure knows how to clean up," Elza said, acting like she was looking in the mirror by touching her face and brushing her hair out of her eyes.

 

Claire nodded, smiling. She dropped it the next instant, however. Elza frowned, asking what was wrong. "I should be able to tell where she is, but I can't. The more visible the contract mark is, the stronger our bond. It's on the side of her neck for God's sake! Why can't I tell where she is?" Claire was visibly upset.

 

"It is very peculiar. Ciel's mark is on his eye, did you notice that? Risky." She blinked a couple of times. "Maybe it's because she lets you eat all the souls you want."

 

Claire closed her eyes and sighed, trying to ignore that possibility. "I just don't know how much longer I can keep up this cheery maid facade."

 

Just then, there was a knock at her door. Claire fanned her face and looked in the mirror, Elza patting Claire before she disappeared again. "Who is it?"

 

"You know who," Sebastian said. "May I come in?" He started to open the door, but Claire crossed the room to lean on it, stopping him.

 

"It would be quite rude if you saw me before our dance, wouldn't it?" she asked.

 

Sebastian huffed. "Are you trying to get me to ask to you dance?"

 

"Perhaps." Claire blinked slowly, breathing even.

 

"Then, would you care for a dance at the ball tonight, Madam?"

 

Claire smiled and laughed by breathing out of her nose. "I would love to dance with you, Sebastian."

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


"Ciel! You're so cute in those clothes I bought in London!" Lizzy squealed. Ciel managed to hide his discomfort and smile for her. Sebastian stood at the bottom of the staircase, watching them. He heard someone walking down, and kept looking ahead as not to spoil the surprise.

 

"Am I allowed to look now?" he asked her.

 

"Yes."

 

Sebastian turned to see Claire in the most beautiful form yet, the midnight blue dress bringing out the red highlights in her hair and green in her eyes. Her eyes were half-lidded, and the smile she wore was nothing short of seductive. Sebastian had to blink to steady himself, but smiled back at her, taking her gloved hand in his. Claire moved her other hand to stroke his chest.

 

"Ciel, where is the ring I prepared for you?" Lizzy asked in a menacing tone. The demons stopped looking at each other but kept holding hands, watching the situation play out. "It matched your outfit perfectly."

 

Ciel took his own hand back, looking at his father's ring. "This ring is fine," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

 

"No!" Lizzy yelled, "I went through a lot of trouble to make everything adorable! The ring you're wearing doesn't match, so it's not cute!"

 

Claire was reminded of a conversation she had with Lynn, who spoke ill of Lizzy. She now understood the girl's irritation. Ciel tried to console his fiance, but it was a trick to get the ring, which Lizzy slipped off Ciel's finger with ease. He immediately stopped talking as his face grew dark. "Give it back!" he said sternly. Lizzy turned with wide eyes, tearing up slightly.

 

"Wha-What?" she mumbled. Claire blinked at her. "Why are you so mad? I worked so hard … to make everything cute …" Her face suddenly contorted, and she snarled, "I just wanted to make you cute! Why are you always so upset?! You know what, I hate this ring! It's terrible!" and suddenly the ring was on the ground, shattered. Claire felt a strange constriction in her chest that she hadn't felt before. Sebastian let go of her hand, and she turned to see Ciel's eyes just as wide as Lizzy's had been. His face was gruesome. Claire rose her eyebrows as the young master moved to strike his fiance, but Sebastian caught his arm. To avoid publicly scolding him, he simply gave the Earl his cane that they had gone to pick out today.

 

"My deepest apologies, Miss Elizabeth. That ring is very important to the young master, being passed down over the generations. There was only one in the world." Lizzy sobered up, and almost cried. Ciel's face was blank. Lizzy started to apologize, but Ciel simply scooped up the shards of the ring and moved to the window. He stared out it for a moment before throwing the ring right out. Sebastian, if he weren't a demon, would have openly gasped at the sight. Claire agreed with his thoughts; that'd be a lot of work to retrieve. 

 

"I don't care," Ciel said, "It's just an old ring. Now, stop crying." He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed Lizzy's face. They then started to dance. Claire turned to Sebastian, who was smiling fondly at her. He reached beside the staircase and pulled out a violin, eyes sparkling at Claire. She cracked a smile and stood straighter, and started to sing. She had a beautiful voice.

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


Claire had cleaned up the entry and taken down most of Lizzy's decorations. Sebastian was getting Ciel ready for bed. Lizzy was going to be leaving in the morning with her mother. Claire was just passing Ciel's room when Sebastian emerged, a small smile on his face. He had a fond expression indeed, which made Claire smile as well.

 

"You do love him like a son, don't you?" she asked him quietly. Sebastian looked at her, stunned, before closing his eyes and breathing out of his nose. That was a "yes." He looked back up at Claire with a smirk.

 

"Let's go find your mistress."

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


"Damn rats," Bard said from atop a ladder. Finny was holding it while Mey-Rin and Claire stood slightly to the side. Claire was trying not to smirk as her and Sebastian's plan was coming into place. The man that had taken Lynn was in the drawing room, playing pool with the Earl and his other guests. Sebastian had a theory that he would try to kidnap Ciel as well, but was really hoping that wouldn't happen. Another noise brought her back to the present. Mey-Rin had shrieked as she saw a rat run behind Claire. She picked it up effortlessly, pinching its head and quieting it. She gave a pointed look towards the other servants.

 

"And  _ that _ is how you catch a rat," Claire said with a smirk, throwing the dead rodent into the waste bag Mey-Rin was carrying. Finny had let go of the ladder and was about to throw a statue at the rat. "Really, Finny? A statue? Please do not destroy the house unnecessarily."

 

"What about cats?" he asked. Claire gave a sneer.

 

"The young master is allergic to cats, you should know this." They hummed in thought, agreeing. Suddenly she felt someone walking up to her, and turned to see Sebastian.

 

"The young master has asked for you to bring him more tea," he said, setting the tray into Claire's hands. She looked at him and nodded after a minute. This must be a part of their plan.

 

She set off to the drawing room, only a few doors down the hall. She knocked twice. "Pardon me young master, but I have brought your tea." She creaked the door open and after seeing Ciel wave her in, walked towards him to switch out the tray and refill his cup. He gave her a look out of the corner of his eye, which made her curtsey and ask, "Is there anything else you need from me, my lord?"

 

Ciel made a gesture to the room, the guests looking up at her. Did they need anything, Ciel seemed to ask. The guests stared at her, particularly the Italian man who rose his eyebrows at her before hurriedly looking away. Claire looked back at the Earl, but he waved his hand and dismissed her. She curtseyed again and left the room with the old tray. Sebastian was waiting outside, unnoticed by the other servants. He took the tray from her and smiled, causing her to smile as well since the plan seemed to be going smoothly.

 

An hour later, Claire was frowning. The servants were trying obscene ways to catch the rats, again. "What are you doing?" she asked exasperated. Finny was wearing a catsuit, Bard was waving around a ladle with a pot full of … who knows what, and Mey-Rin had mousetraps stuck on the folds of her skirt. Claire cocked her head and lay a fist on her hip.

 

"Sebastian," Ciel called. Claire glanced behind her to see the two interact. "Escort Duke Randall by carriage to his mansion tonight. And then leave tonight's plans open." The young master did not know of Claire and Sebastian's plan, so Sebastian hid a smirk behind his usual bow and muttering of, "Yes, my lord."

 

"After setting the carriage up I shall bring you your afternoon tea," the butler continued. Turning her attention back to the trio, Claire made a shocked noise. They had disappeared! Shaking her head, she moved to clean up their messes and catch what rats were left on this floor. Honestly, where had they even come from? She tossed a tied-off bag out the window and brushed her hands off. Sighing in content, she made to walk downstairs to collect those rats as well, but an odd feeling struck her. 

 

Claire held her left hand to her chest. She could almost hear her mistress's voice. She moved to the closest mirror. Faintly, in her own reflection, she could see her mistress laying facedown on a wine-carpeted floor. Claire narrowed her eyes at the image. In less than a second, the image vanished, and she was left with her reflection once more. "Where is that?" she asked Elza quietly.

 

"I could barely see out the window, but I think it's not quite in London." She was about to say more, but her eyes widened and she ducked below the mirror frame. Curious, Claire did the same and only just dodged a bullet; it shot through the portrait of a vase of flowers. Keeping close to the floor, Claire crawled towards the window where she saw a lone gunman. Curious indeed. Lightning fast, she jumped out of the window and landed behind the gunman without him noticing her, until she snapped his neck of course. Sebastian appeared running from the other side of the house.

 

"It's  _ him _ , isn't it?" she asked him. He nodded.

 

"The young master is missing also. The window in his study was open."

 

Well, at least  _ he _ was playing his part.

  
  


***=^.^=***

  
  


When Ciel came to, he was immediately trying to piece together who took him. He wasn't all that surprised when he found out it was Azzurro Vener from the Ferro family. What did shock him, other than the man's audacity to abuse him, was the crumpled heap in the floor across from him, nearest Vener's desk. It was a person who had long, red locks, and their shirt and pants were torn in multiple places. A cut on their hip was crusted with dry blood. The moment Vener took his attention from Ciel, he scooted as quietly and inconspicuous as he could to the heap. Their hands were tied behind their back. The person grumbled to themselves, looking back over their shoulder. Ciel's blood ran cold when he saw blood red eyes peering at him.

 

"Lynn?" he asked, daring not to speak above a whisper.

 

"C-Ciel?" she whispered back, barely able to speak. She definitely looked worse for wear. She rolled over, wincing only slightly when she put pressure on the old cut. Her face was covered in scratches and dirt, but what really caught his attention was her bloody nose. It wasn't blunt force bleeding. Had Vener forced Lynn to take drugs? She suddenly huffed, and Ciel could really see how much pain she was in.

 

"How long have you been here?" he asked her. The girl's eyes scrunched up, face miserable.

 

"Too long. I haven't the faintest clue why Claire hasn't found me yet-"

 

"Claire?" Ciel asked. Lynn looked at him questioningly. "Long, auburn hair, teal eyes?" Lynn nodded. "She showed up at my manor a couple nights ago. Said she was looking for her mistress, but I hadn't thought that it could be you …"

 

"It's fine, Ciel." He only now noticed her accent was slightly American. "You have someone coming for you, don't you?"

 

Ciel nodded, about to speak when Vener remembered them. He kicked Lynn's face and Ciel's ribs, making them both roll in pain. "You'll fetch a fine price, girly." Lynn glared at the floor. The phone suddenly rang. "Useless bastards, what do you mean you failed?!"

 

Faintly, from the other line, Ciel could hear, "The butler and the maid, they're stronger than they look. Both of the gunmen are dead." He saw Lynn stiffen at the man's words.

 

"I don't care, return at once!"

 

"There's trouble!" Whatever the man was going to say was drowned out by a scream, presumably from the driver. Vener laughed.

 

"A bear?" he said, causing the men behind him to snicker. The men on the phone only continued to yell and scream. Someone was definitely wrong. "What, is it something you can't handle?" More screams. The line went dead quiet for a few moments before Vener tentatively called out.

 

Ciel, for some reason, made a snarky remark, causing the Italian to kick him multiple times. Vener picked the receiver back up and demanded to know what was going on. Lynn looked at Ciel from where she had finally managed to sit up.

 

"Hello." Lynn did not know who the smooth voice belonged to, but from the way Ciel smirked she could only guess. "I am a member of the Phantomhive household." So  _ that _ was Sebastian, the "butler" Ciel picked up that Claire had told her about. She couldn't wait to meet him. "I do hope the young master has not been troubling you." Lynn almost snickered at the sarcastic voice the butler was using. He and Ciel had the same relationship as her and Claire, then.

 

Vener was trembling. He couldn't form words, so his mouth was moving silently. "Is something the matter?" Sebastian asked, once again very snarky.

 

Ciel, who lay facing the wall, let out a bark. Lynn gave him an incredulous look. Something told her that it was a way to give an order, or knowing he was there. She let out her own bark, causing Vener to become more erratic. 

 

"Understood," and Lynn could all but hear the smirk in his voice, "We shall come right away."


End file.
